152 



NATURE 



[May 20, 1920 



vant medical literature on the colloidal remedies 

 now in the market. The relative value of colloidal 

 drugs in treatment is still sub judice, and we 

 can only hope that the author's optimism regard- 

 ing- their effects as therapeutic agents may be 

 justified in the future. In this section we note 

 several misprints, such as "epiditymitis," 

 "granulama pupendi," and "leishmonnoris," to 

 mention only a few, and the assertion that the 

 colloidal state is the ideal one for the administra- 

 tion of alkaloids is contrary to the evidence 

 afforded of the inefficacy of colloidal quinine and 

 cocaine. In the course of the work the author 

 makes many speculations on the rSle of colloids 

 in physiology and on their possibilities in treat- 

 ment, speculations which form food for reflection 

 if one is unable to assimilate them all as truths. 



The volume, to which Sir Malcolm Morris, 

 whose pioneer work with colloids in skin diseases 

 is well known, contributes an interesting and 

 hopeful foreword, forms a helpful introduction to 

 the subject of colloids in their relation to physio- 

 Jo&y> pharmacology, and therapeutics, and may 

 be found useful by medical practitioners and 

 others who desire to have a general and not too 

 scientific account of the subject. 



Nature Pictures. 



Twenty-four Nature Pictures. By E. J. Detmold. 

 (London: J. M. Dent and Sons, Ltd., n.d.) 

 Price 5 guineas net. 



SEVERAL important works have recently been 

 pubhshed portraying and describing the birds 

 and mammals of the British Islands. Some of 

 these publications are expensive, others appeal to 

 a slender purse; but, whether the lover of such 

 books is able or willing to spend much or only 

 a little on animal pictures, he is fortunate in 

 having a good deal of scope for choice, many of 

 the works that we have seen of late being excel- 

 lent in every way, combining artistic merit with 

 scientific accuracy. 



In introducing a new work on the higher 

 animals to the British public, therefore, it behoves 

 its author to show that it possesses some out- 

 standing feature of merit which may serve as its 

 raison d'etre. The work under consideration 

 cannot be regarded as serving any zoo- 

 logical purpose, since the subjects are so 

 few in number. Hence any merit it may lay claim 

 to must be sought from its purely artistic side. 

 But such pictures, to be satisfactory, should be 

 accurate in form and colour, so that, while appeal- 

 ing to the artistic sense, they do not at the same 

 time offend the scientific eye; and herein the | 

 NO. 2638, VOL. 105] 



nature-studies of Mr. Detmold are decidedly 

 faulty. 



In a series of twenty-four plates the artist por- 

 trays altogether five species of mammals, twenty 

 birds, a fish, a crab, and a lobster. Zoologically 

 speaking, the two crustaceans are, in our opinion, 

 the most successful portraits in the series. The 

 majority of mammal and bird studies are distinctly 

 disappointing, and lead one to fear that they have 

 been drawn from specimens supplied by some un- 

 skilful taxidermist. They seem to lack the subtle 

 and delicate curves of beauty we are accustomed to- 

 associate with the living and healthy animal, while 

 in sorne cases the colouring is faulty. The pro- 

 portions, too, between the parts of the body 

 are sometimes incorrect, even allowing for the 

 effects of foreshortening. In the painting of 

 plumage and pelage there are a peculiar "lumpi- 

 ness " of surface and angularity of outline which 

 are foreign to our ideas of animal form and beauty. 

 Whether the artist has allowed himself to be 

 carried away by the licence proverbial to his pro- 

 fession, or is endeavouring to formulate a new 

 style of composition and portraiture, we cannot 

 say, but the effect, at least from a zoological point 

 of view, is disappointing and at times irritating. 



The surroundings of the various subjects are 

 certainly artistic and original, but in some plates 

 the environment is overloaded with detail, while 

 in others its artificiality is oppressive, and suggests 

 tapestry or wall-paper rather than a background 

 for a "nature-picture." W. E. C. 



Our Bookshelf. 



General Science: First Course. By L. Elhuff, 

 Pp. vii + 435. (London : G. G. Harrap and Co.,. 

 Ltd.) Price 55. net. 



That a pupil's first view of science should be a 

 broad one has been more generally recognised in 

 the United States than in this country. The 

 routine of measurements and weighings, which 

 is all that so many of our children know as science,, 

 fails to arouse enthusiasm except as a relief from 

 work which is still more dull. Teachers who are 

 breaking away from this system have been helped 

 by more than one recent American publication. 

 Their attention is confidently directed to the 

 volume now under review. 



In its general outlines the book does not differ 

 widely from some of the best of its kind, but it 

 is exceptional in that stress is laid in the earliest 

 chapters on the value and the means of maintain- 

 ing health. To the question "Why study 

 science? " the answer is given: "To learn how 

 to live." That is kept constantly in view through- 

 out the book. In his preface the author puts 

 the following first among the results which he 

 hopes may be achieved : " A desire to grow strong 



